Tread chain for tractors



July 7' o. L. 'G ILLILAND TREAD CHAIN roa- TRAcToRs s sheets sneet 1 Original Filed June 25. 1920 WW 9 6 mu A M; $2;

Jul 1 1927.

- 1,635,403 0. L.- GIYLLILAND TREAD CHAIN FDR TRACTORS- Original Filed June 25. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 0.1.. GILL [LAND BY HIS ATTORNEY 1,635,403 y 1927' o. L. GILLILAND TREAD CHAIN FORTRACTQRS Orig'inaI'Filed June 25, 1920 3 s t -s t 3 \mulllllul INVENTOR 0.L.G'IL'L.ILAND 5v HIS ATTORN EV Patented Jay 12, 1927.

.: teasers v it E" err s s; PATENT os 0 m L; 'GILLILAN or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, .assrenon or ONE-FIFTH TO v a. LUTHER MELrmorr/rmnEAroLIs, MINNESOTA.

TREAID CHAIN non 'rnacrrons.

original application filed June" 25, 1920, semi no. 391,724, Divided and this application mea'nevembee v 12, 19.21. Seria1Nd.514,618. v I

This invention relates to t-ractors of the traction'belt orichain type and is particularly directed to the novel traction chain or 1n horizontal section showing several of the endless track used with such a tractor;

This application is a division of my coending application for tractor, filed June th,-1920, S. N. $91,724:,which'matured into Patent No. 1,436,651. V v

It is an object of this invention to provide a highly improved track or treadchainso constructed that the treadchain may be bent laterally and laid to form a curved automatically-laid track over which thetractor i will-run. Incarry-ing out this invention, the

links of the tread chains are equipped with wheels or rollers and the frame of the I tractor is provided with a roller runways the lower portion of which runs as a shoe'over the rollers of-the lower chainlinks. Also, the 'lowenportion of the roller runway' is provided with side flanges that are arranged to be bent to cause the tractor to follow-the curvature of the tread chain when the latter is laid en: the line of a'curve. Of course, in

1 running straight=ahead,tlie tread chains will he laid straight upon the ground and the the side'fia-nges of the shoe or lower part of the roller runway will-then be straight.

1 The chains above noted are in laterally spaced pairs andthe'tractor is driven forward by large sprocket-like wheels that en gage'the tread chain at the rear portion thereof and run forward on the I lower =ground-engaged links to ,push the tractor forward. The upper. and lower portions for "runs ofthe roller runways are connected by curvedfrontfand rear -sect1ons, the (former ofwhich are-caused to push their way forward against-the rollers of the. downwardly movingtorward links of the chains.

Other objects-and advantages ofthe invention will be a-p-parant from the following 'description' made in Connection with the ac- 'companyi-ngdrawings 'in which like refer- "ence characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views, and in. which ;Fig. 1" is aside elevation of a tractorwith e tread chain applied thereto;

' "Fig. 2 s a. plan view of, the driving sprocketend of the tractor,. the tread .chains being removed 3 is-a bottomplanview f oneside of the tractor; Y

:Fiig. *4 is a transverse vertical {section .nated as 14. p f The two tread cl iainsused'in this tractor \are, as already. -1nd'1cated,,- of novel construce taken approximatelyion the line: of Fig. 3;

'Figqtifis a view partly in plan andpartly I section of an elongated bushing used in the swiveled connections of the tread chains.

Re'ferring to the"drawings, in Fig. 1- is shown a tractor having a framework comprising outside longitudinal beams.13, transverse channel beams '12 and a platforni' 1 5' which extends betweenthe said beams, all

rigidly connected together.. 1

of which parts, are preferably ofmetal and A multicylinder combustion engine indi- I cated as an entiretyby' thenumeral '17 is mounted on the frame, the crank shaft of which engine extendselongitudinally of the frame -This engine has the customary fan and radiator l9,the latter being shown as secured to the front endof a framedesig tiom and each such tread 'chain',,-as,.prefer ably d'esigned, comprises two =types of links,

suchas shown in Figs. 7 and8. These-two types of l nks are alternated and. coupled to formendless tread chains. Thelinks 20,"

shown in detail in Fig. 7, are cast hol'low .and arejprovided at one end withlaterally spacedkperforated ears '21 and outstanding "traction" cleats 22, and at their other-ends are provided -.with laterallygspaced. ears 23 a'nd 1 with approximately spherical hollow heads 2e. The links 25shown in Fig. 8 are prov1ded at o'neend with laterally'spaced perforated-ears 26andtraction' cleats or' -lugs 27, v and at the r otheriends; are provided with laterally spaced perforated ears or lugs 28 -andwithsegmental heads 29. k

"l iThen thetwo types of links-2O and 25 o .are; put together, the ears .28 vof the links 25 are between the ears 2l othe links '20 and -the'linhsarethenncoupled together by cou ,pling. pins 30', and],sprocket-engaging rollers 31 arev mounted on thesaid pins between, said ears 2-8; and .v the spherical heads. 24,01 the alin-ksQOare between the ears 26; of the l-inks,

and coupling pins 32 are passed through said ears '26 and through elongated slots .34

' formed in the sides of the spherical heads 24."

Pivot/ally mounted on the central portion of each pin. 32 and loca-ted,.. one,within 'eeach spherical head 24 is a knuckle block 35 that 37 that extend through the slots 34. Here it" should benoted that-the slots 34- are of inwardlytapered form and are preferably is coupled centrallyto the front end "of the co-operating link 20 by a short vertical "pivotpiir 36i Thesepins 36'aflord the piv-j .ots on which the links move when theyiare laid to form a curved track. The knuckle blocks 35 are provided with sleeve extensions lined with two-part bushings 38 that are flanged-at one "of their outer extremlties.

'VV'orking in the bushings 38 and loosely journaled on the sleeve extensions 37 are conical rollers 39. v Concave dust caps 4O are -placed on the'outer ends of the sleeves 37 between the ears-26 and the heads 24 and servetoj'k'eepthe' segmental slots 34 always I closed.

inner dust caps 41 secured to the 'Also,

i blocks"35'keep the inner extremities Zof the -slots'34 always closed. 7

The cars 28' of th links 20 support hearing rollers or wheels 42 that are journaled "on axle pins 43carr1ed by said lugs 23.

' These rollers 42, as will be presently noted,

run in the above noted runways carried by the tractor framej The segmental heads 29 of the links 25 are adapted, underconditions hereinafter noted, to engage against stop flanges 44 ion. rinterio'rs of the links 20 (see Figs. 1 and 6).

To the outer ends of the sections of'the I i divided .rear axle 48' are secured large and heavy s'procketilike wheels 56 formed with incut jnotches'57 to' receive the chain rollers '31,- and provided with peripherally"spaced I rollers 58,to engage against the" knuckle "lolocksfni of the-tread chain (see. Figs.

and

" Y The. two tretidchains described, as alreadyindicated,run, one overieachof the tread sprocket-like 'wheels 56, and extend These two fdescr bed separately. 'fThe rear portion of "the chain runway is in the form of a bifun I 1 forwardly tl'ierefrom with their hearing rollers'or. wheels 42 inward in position to en'- ge with the roller runways which Wlll now be'descr bed.

runways are alike and maybe cated U-shaped chann'el59, both prongs of .which are integral with, or otherwise rigidly V secured toa short pedestal bracket 60 which,

in turn,':is, rigidly securedto the platform "and cross beam 112 of the tractor-frame. The. outside.portion-oflthe platform or plate 15" f forms a horizontal forward extension of the -'channe l of the lower run of the U-shaped channel or'yoke .59. and the rollers 42 of the links that areengaged with the ground will directly engage with the under surface or portion of said platform or bearing plate.

The frontportions of the two chain ru'nways are afforded by bifurcated 'U-shaped orhyokelike channels 61 that align with the adjacent frame structure. The yokes 61 are provided with rigidly attached rearwardly extended arms 67 that are cross connected by Each of the two chain runways'above describechon the underside of the deck or platform 15, is provided with inside and outside so-called guard rails. The inside guard rails 69 (see particularly Fig. 3 are fiat flexible bars pivotally connectedat'their front ends at 70 to'the lower inside portions'of the respective yoke 61.; The rear ends of the said inside rails 69 are connected to the lowerin- I a link 68, operated as hereinafter described. 7

side portions of't'h'e rear yokes 59, by sliding pivotal connections shownat 71. t

The outside guard rails comprise" curved fixed sections 72 and curved movable sec-- tions 73. The sections 73'are pivotally conjnected at 74 to the lower outside portions of the yoke 61 and will have a slidable connection with the ends of the sections 72 .at 7 5. The steering wheel'and post 76- is. shown and the machine is steered by giving 'oscil-' latory movements to the front yokes 61 and by bending or deflecting the guard plates 69. -When it is desired to cause the machine to turn to the right, the steering wheel and y post will be turned in the direction to cause the yoke 61 to swingto the right, and, like-' 7 wise, to turn the machineto the'leftwhen the j V yokes are turned in that direction. 1

'As bestshown in Figs. 1 and 2,1aterally spaced pairs of upper Wheel or roller guiding rails 97 are pivotally connectedv at 98 to the upper prongs of'the respectiveyokes 61, and the rear ends of these uppe1 rails'97 have slidable connection to the upper prongs L V I of the rear .yokes 59, so thatthejsaid rails 97' will guide'the chain rollers or wheels 42 on their upward line ofrtravel from the rear'yokes to the front yokes. V

The-tractor illustrated is designed especial- 'ly as a quite small tractor, and hence, the main chain roller guiding surfaces afforded .by the deck or platform 15 are; rigid, the

one in respect to theothertbut for large 7 Ltractors'there would preferably be a flexible:

connection between these two main guiding elements, so thatthe two'chains. will independently adapt themselves to irregularities in theroador ground. p

In respect to the'construction of the tread chains, it will be noted that they are flexible in a vertical plane and also in horizontal planes, so that they are free to travel around the driving sprockets to the front'and rea'r yokes and to adapt themselves to the lateral is evenly distributed between those links 1 that are on the ground. l/Vhen the front yokes 61 are set at an angle for turning,

the tread chain links thatare in contact therewith will, of course, be positively moved into angular positions, andthe links, as they are brought into contact with the ground,

will be set at the proper angle on the curve that is to be traveled, so that, in a sense, the

links willv be laid onto the ground in the.

form of a curved track.

By reference, particularly, to Figs. '1 and 4, it will be noted that the links of the tread chainsf'between the traction lugs 22 earth will form into the pockets between the traction lugs, forming a series of ridges which very greatly increases the traction In fact, this chain will have more than twice the traction quality of a tread chain that has flatlinks quality of the tread chains.

with ordinary lugs thereon. I

By reference, particularly to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the links of the tread chains immediately before they contact with the ground, are turned downward in pairs or two at a time with the two links nearly in alignment and that under final movement thereof into contact with the ground, they are brought quickly to position quite close to the ground and at but slight angle to the ground and that thereafter, they are slowly moved into contact with the ground, very much as if, during this final movement, they were traveling on an arc of a very large circle. The trea'd chains will, of course, sink considerably in soft ground and the machine must climb slightly on the tread chains that are laid upon the ground.

This application being specific-ally directed to the chain, the description of the drawings has been largely limited to the chain structure and the parts co-acting directly therewith, the other parts of the tractor, together with the chain are fully illustrated and described in my co-opending application hereinbefore referred to.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form,

out departing from the scope of inven tion, which, generally stated, consists-in thematter shown and described and defined in the appended claims. lVhatis claimed is:

i '1 A tractor chain for tractors comprising. a

links carrying parts with engaging semispherlcal surfaces and connecting means for said links lncluding rigid members havlng axes normal to each other and extending through the center of the sphere defined by said Semispherical surfaces.

2. A traction chain for. tractors comprising links carrying-parts with engaging semispherical surfaces, and a rigid connecting member mounted in rigid relation with one of said links extending transversely of said chain and having an axis passing through the center of the sphere defined by said semispherical surfaces.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2, and

another rigid connecting member mounted in rigid relationwith the. other link and having its axis passing through the center 1 of the sphere'defined by said semispherical surface and extending at an' angle to the axis of the first mentioned member.

4. A tractionbelt for tractors having ad+ jacentlinks comprising ground engaging means, said links being connected by rigid horizontal and vertical pivot. pins, one of: which 1s rigidly connected to one of the links, the axes of said pins intersecting at right angles.

5. A traction belt for tractors comprising links, one set of which has spaced apertured lugs, a horizontal pin rigidly secured in said vlugs and extending therebetween, a vertical spherical heads, said heads having oppositely. 1 0

disposed slots through the sides thereof, a set of links respectively connected tosaid links, pivotpins connected to the connected links, passing through said slots and having conical rollers-thereon movable in said slots."

7. The structure set forth in claim 6, and. bushings in said slots in which said conical rollers move,

8. The structure set dust excluding members at each side of said slots;

four pairs of apertured lugs, three of which .are arranged with hor zontal axes, and are adapted to recelve mountings for sprocket forth in claim 6, and

tractors comprising I 9. A traction belt for tractors comprising a set of links, eachof which is provided with engaging rollers, bearing rollers and hori-.

zontal links connecting pivot pins respec tively, and the other pair of which has a vertical axis and is adapted to-receive a verticallink connecting pivot pin. l

. 10." A traction belt for tractors comprising pairs of links, one of the links of said pairs having means adapted torengage the tractor and having ground-engaging means, the links of said pairs being connected by rigid hori .,zontal and vertical pivot pins'having their axes intersecting.

"11. A traction belt for tractors comprising two series of llnks, connecting means for the respective hnksof said series, con= necting; said links for movement in horizontal and vertical planes about axes intersecting at right angles,' one series of sald links carrying bearing rollers adapted'to contact 1 with a bearing surface on the tractor to hold said links spaced from said surface.

12. A traction belt for tractors comprising tWo series of links, the adjacent links of said series having pairs of lugs adapted to I being relatively movable about both pins.

Intestimony whereof I afliX lnv signature. ORRA- L. GILLILAND. 

